Hexetidine is an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent commonly used in both veterinary and human medicine. It is a

local anesthetic A local anesthetic (LA) is a medication that causes absence of pain sensation. In the context of surgery, a local anesthetic creates an absence of pain in a specific location of the body without a loss of consciousness, as opposed to a general an ...

astringent An astringent (sometimes called adstringent) is a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues. The word derives from the Latin ''adstringere'', which means "to bind fast". Calamine lotion, witch hazel, and yerba mansa, a Californian plant ...

and

deodorant A deodorant is a substance applied to the body to prevent or mask body odor due to bacterial breakdown of perspiration or vaginal secretions, for example in the armpits, groin, or feet. A subclass of deodorants, called antiperspirants, prevents s ...

and has antiplaque effects. Hexetidine is the medicinal ingredient in ''Sterisol'', which is labelled for the symptomatic treatment of:

streptococcal pharyngitis Streptococcal pharyngitis, also known as streptococcal sore throat (strep throat), is pharyngitis (an infection of the pharynx, the back of the throat) caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' a gram-positive, group A streptococcus. Common symptom ...

('strep throat'),

tonsillitis Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils in the upper part of the throat. It can be acute or chronic. Acute tonsillitis typically has a rapid onset. Symptoms may include sore throat, fever, enlargement of the tonsils, trouble swallowing, and en ...

pharyngitis Pharyngitis is inflammation of the back of the throat, known as the pharynx. It typically results in a sore throat and fever. Other symptoms may include a runny nose, cough, headache, difficulty swallowing, swollen lymph nodes, and a hoarse voice ...

laryngitis Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx (voice box). Symptoms often include a hoarse voice and may include fever, cough, pain in the front of the neck, and trouble swallowing. Typically, these last under two weeks. Laryngitis is categorised ...

gingivitis Gingivitis is a non-destructive disease that causes inflammation of the gums. The most common form of gingivitis, and the most common form of periodontal disease overall, is in response to bacterial biofilms (also called plaque) that is attached ...

ulcerative stomatitis Stomatitis is inflammation of the mouth and lips. It refers to any inflammatory process affecting the mucous membranes of the mouth and lips, with or without oral ulceration. In its widest meaning, stomatitis can have a multitude of different cau ...

oral thrush Oral candidiasis, also known as oral thrush among other names, is candidiasis that occurs in the mouth. That is, oral candidiasis is a mycosis (yeast/fungal infection) of ''Candida'' species on the mucous membranes of the mouth. ''Candida albica ...

and

Vincent's angina Vincent's angina (also termed Plaut-Vincent's angina), is pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx) and tonsillitis (inflammation of the palatine tonsils), caused by infection with two types of bacteria called fusiform (''Fusobacterium species'') ...

; postoperative hygiene following tonsillectomy, throat or oral surgery. Hexetidine is not the same as

Chlorhexidine Chlorhexidine (CHX) (commonly known by the salt forms chlorhexidine gluconate and chlorhexidine digluconate (CHG) or chlorhexidine acetate) is a disinfectant and antiseptic that is used for skin disinfection before surgery and to sterilize surg ...

, another chemical commonly used in

mouthwash Mouthwash, mouth rinse, oral rinse, or mouth bath is a liquid which is held in the mouth passively or swilled around the mouth by contraction of the perioral muscles and/or movement of the head, and may be gargling, gargled, where the head is ti ...

, or the

antimicrobial An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms or stops their growth. Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they act primarily against. For example, antibiotics are used against bacteria, and antifungals ar ...

drug Hexedene (C₂₂H₄₅N₃). In the UK, hexetidine is the active ingredient in the medicated

branded ''Oraldene''. In Canada, hexetidine was the active ingredient in the medicated

branded ''Steri/sol'' which has been discontinued. It used to be produced by

McNeil Consumer Healthcare McNeil Consumer Healthcare is an American medicals products company belonging to the Johnson & Johnson Health care, healthcare products group. It primarily sells fast-moving consumer goods such as Over-the-counter drug, over-the-counter drugs. ...

, a division of

Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1886 that develops medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer packaged goods. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company i ...

(originally

Warner–Lambert Warner–Lambert was an American pharmaceutical company. History Formerly two separate entities, the first company was started in 1856, when William R. Warner founded a drug store in Philadelphia. Warner went on to invent a tablet coating process ...

, then marketed by

Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...

after its acquisition since 2007). Oraldene contains 0.1 g/100 ml of hexetidine. In some European countries, the gargle solution and mouth spray in bottles of 40 ml named ''Hexoral'' (by Mcneil) also contains 0.2% hexetidine as its active compound. In Greece it is called ''Hexalen mouth wash'' (also available in spray). Hexetidine can also be found in the mouthwash ''Bactidol'' (by Mcneil) which is sold in many Asian countries. In Germany, hexetidine vaginal suppositories branded ''Vagi-Hex'' are available to be used for vaginal

antisepsis An antiseptic (from Greek ἀντί ''anti'', "against" and σηπτικός ''sēptikos'', "putrefactive") is an antimicrobial substance or compound that is applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putre ...

. They are also used in late pregnancy for reducing neonatal infectious mortality and morbidity due to

group B streptococcal infection Group B streptococcal infection, also known as Group B streptococcal disease or just Group B strep, is the infection caused by the bacterium ''Streptococcus agalactiae'' (''S. agalactiae'') (also known as group B streptococcus or GBS). GBS infecti ...

s; nonetheless, hexetidine is to be used with care during pregnancy, and its vaginal use is counter-indicated in the first three months of pregnancy.Vagi-Hex: Gegenanzeigen
(Vagi-Hex: Counterindications, in German language)

References

External links

European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products overview of the medicinal properties
{{Stomatological preparations Oral hygiene Pyrimidines Dental drugs